July Fire: Evacuations lifted for Landusky

July Fire, July 8, 2017. The red line represents uncontrolled fire edge and the yellow dots are structures. This is a portion of the map that was developed by the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team. Click to enlarge.

(Originally published at 6 a.m. MDT July 8, 2017)

With the spread of the July Fire slowing and firefighters making progress to contain it, the residents of the evacuated town of Landusky, Montana will be able to return to their homes at 10 a.m. Saturday. However the road closure and evacuation will remain in effect for non-residents.

The Incident Management Team provided the following information Friday evening:

The success of the fire management in the Landusky area was largely facilitated by the efforts of the community in reducing fuels around their homes. Their efforts to make their properties more Firewise helped to both slow the fire and provide safer, more manageable working conditions for the firefighters.

We experienced moderate fire behavior as temperatures increased and the humidity dropped [Friday] afternoon. Additional heavy equipment arrived [Friday], including feller-bunchers and skidders, and is being used on the northwest side of the fire. Aerial resources, including three helicopters with water buckets, also assisted firefighters in holding and reinforcing firelines.